Friday, May 1, 2015

April - my worse month in two years

I just calculated my daily health chart average for the month of April and it was my lowest daily average for any month since May, 2013. The difference between April's average and all other averages of the past 12 months was enormous.

I'm still trying to determine the cause of this crash: is it a bug or could the stress of a recent arbitration have weakened by immune system? Or a combination of both?

I continue to have symptoms of a regular cold, like a cough and nasal congestion, but it's difficult to tell if that's the root of the crash or more symptoms of it. Since coming down with ME/CFS, my immune system reacts differently to colds. In my pre-ME days, cold symptoms were limited to...the usual cold symptoms. They tended to be localized, i.e. in my sinuses or lungs. But now, a cold seems to trigger my dysfunctional immune system in funny ways. Inflammation runs rampant. I get brain fog, achy kidneys, very swollen lymph nodes, sleep disturbances, and many other problems. That's why, after your system goes out of whack with ME/CFS, it's very difficult to determine what's going on when you're crashing.

I'm holding out hope that this is just a particularly bad cold, and not a more significant set back.

Hi Patrick,I started daily laser therapy on my brain stem 1.5 weeks ago and the decrease in my ME symptoms have been almost more than I could've hoped for. I got the idea when reading The Brain's Way of Healing by Norman Doidge and saw the similarities between MS and ME. Wanted to share with you.Scott

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DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and have no medical training. Nothing in this blog should be construed as medical advice. This blog simply recounts my personal experiences and, at times, summarizes research from other sources. I can't verify the accuracy of these other sources. Never rely on anything you read here in making your own medical decisions. Always consult a doctor.

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What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)?

The clinical definition of ME is complicated, and the symptoms are many. It is a "multi-system disorder" that affects a person's immune system, hormones, nervous system, and energy (at the cellular level). I prefer to explain, simply, that it feels like I have the flu. Every single day. This is an oversimplification, but it's often the best way to explain it to a healthy person.

About Me

I came down with ME in June, 2011. I was diagnosed six months later. This blog tracks my progress; my successes and failures along the path to (hopefully) sustained remission.
I live with my wife and two young daughters in Southern California.